Jul

17

Rebuilding our lives

Uncategorized  Posted by / 0 comments

After the Babylonian exile when Nehemiah took a look at the destruction that had befallen Judah, the sight of the brokenness stirred him to action. People, too, may have figurative walls in their lives that may also need repair. That is where Jesus can come in and build up all of the brokenness. Of course, the enemy will be the first one at the door saying, like the Jews did, “but we’ve lived this way for so long now, why not just let it be? It’s impossible to restore such a sad state.”

Proverbs 25:28 says, “Whoever has no rule over his own spirit is like a city broken down, without walls.”

Many lives are like a city with broken walls in major need of repair. God desperately wants to change them. As a servant of God, Nehemiah focused on what he needed to do. Our spiritual enemies have no recourse to foil our plans when we are committed to what we know to be God’s will for our lives.

 

Jul

09

Unshakable faith

Uncategorized  Posted by / 0 comments

In the midst of a sin-filled world where evil never rests, there’s no greater joy than knowing the Lord is on the throne. Holding onto the rock of our salvation is the only fortress against the battles. When we cling to our Lord and Savior, there is nothing else to fear for we are in capable hands. What can mere man do to remove us from the arms of Jesus?  When the storms of life hit and when we feel helpless in the onslaught, keeping our faith strong in the Lord through meditation and prayer is our only defense. Our hope remains steadfast as we dwell in Him and his word.

In the Psalms, David waits upon the Lord and places his faith solely in the Lord to be his security and trusts in God through everything, including the face of his enemies. They come in all shapes—both visible and invisible—and these enemies are helpless to fulfill their objectives when God is at the helm.  God sees all and his arms are not too short to reach down and protect us.

To be silent before God and to wait on Him… to hear his still small voice is to empty ourselves of worldly chatter and disturbance. To allow our creator to take prominence in our hearts and minds, as we silence all of the noise, is a sure balm to our souls and the opportunity to witness His grace. In a world where so many man-made cure-alls are at our disposal, the first place we should run for help is to the beckoning arms of Jesus, our prescription for life.

Jul

02

Happy Birthday, America!

Uncategorized  Posted by / 0 comments

When we consider all that went into the founding of our nation—the struggles, the battles—the historical accounts are incredible. Our nation is blessed. We are unique. We have the freedom to worship as we desire in America, while there are many nations who don’t have this opportunity. The hard won separation from a tyrannical king through the efforts of so many did not come easy. But are we truly free in America?

Yes, we have freedom in that we don’t have slaves today in the traditional sense, but man is still under the bondage of sin. If we do not have the Holy Spirit to guide us, we will ultimately be slaves to our own fallible nature.

“If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.” – John 8:31-32

It’s easy to be led away by our own devices and become enslaved to that which controls our flesh. Through the finished work of Jesus on the cross, we have a choice of which master we will serve.

“As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” – Joshua 24:15

We may be free in the USA, but we are only truly free to enjoy our liberty by the saving grace of Jesus. As we remain under his care and protection while passing through the muck and mire of the world, we are blessed to have everything we need in Him.

“…where the spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.” – 2 Cor. 3:17

 

Jun

25

A fount of limitless love

Uncategorized  Posted by / 0 comments

There are no yardsticks in Heaven. Though we cannot fathom the Lord’s mind as He is too far above us to even contemplate, His word tells us the truth: His love knows no bounds.

Unlike worldly love that ebbs and wanes at its own discretion, God’s love is an unlimited source that wells up from His true nature. God is love.

In times of fear or uncertainty, it should be comforting to know that God is right by our side. If we are abiding in Christ, there is nothing to fear because we are held in the palm of God’s hand. We are as close as marrow is to bone.

It’s a marvelous mystery how much God loves us. The unfathomable depth of His love began in the Garden with the first murder of an animal and the skin was used to clothe Adam and Eve. Why did God do that? Even outside the Garden, while his fellowship had been broken, His love remained. It continued so much that He eventually sent his son to redeem mankind from his own sin.

Now, Christ sits at the right hand of God after making the ultimate sacrifice. Those who’ve put their trust in Him should no longer have any fears, worries, or doubts about the Lord’s love for us or His plans and provisions for our lives. Whether there’s famine, peril, nakedness, or sword, there’s nothing—at all—imaginable that can come between the Lord and His redeemed.

“…nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” –  Romans 8:39

 

 

 

 

 

Jun

21

21st century world

Uncategorized  Posted by / 0 comments

While we are all looking for the next big solution and want a mere man to solve all of the world’s problems, it can’t be done by man alone. This is a broken world. What we should focus on is on the one who CAN fix this. And that is Messiah Jesus who came to restore man to the Father God. Our hope should lie above, not in this world but in the One who created us in His image.

We can bark and scream at the situations that befall a sinful world (as well as towards each other) and, frankly, our word fights aren’t going to solve anything but divide us all further. We become shrill activists claiming to be above the fray when we, too, are imperfect and don’t do anything but point fingers and lay blame.

Putting our trust in man or leaders–these are all fallen people.
Donald Trump is a flawed man just like the rest of us. With all of his warts and shortcomings, he took on this job, neglecting to take a salary, and is doing his best with the advisers he has in his council. Please give him a chance. When he fails, ask God to give him wisdom. Our hope should be in the Lord. Perhaps then, we all wouldn’t be so unsettled about things.